The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-08-17

the disaster IL Is llupoSSlplc do JOo w
speak definitely. The investigation
thus far discloses that the bridge where
the accident occurred was examined
last May and found in good condition;
that the grass was burned away from
the bridge last week to lessen the
danger from fire; that orders had been
given for special inspection of the
road to insure a safe passage for the
excursion train; that the bridge was all
right at five o'clock and no fire in the
vicinity, and that gang of suspicious
persons had been lettering in the town
for some days. There are circumstances
to sustain the theory that the bridge
was set on fire by band of miscreants
for the deliberate purpose of wrecking
the train and robbing the passengers.
This horrible theory may not be well
founded, yet as soon as the wreck took
place a gang of thieves appeared on
the scene and robbed the dead and
diving of their valuables before the
people of Chatsworth could come TO
the rescue. Besides, the fact is well
established that very short time be-
fore the disaster occurred freight
train had passed over the bridge, and it
was then in sound condition.
1t is very easy after a disaster to
point out the ways in which it might
have been averted. In the trial of this
case by the newspapers we note that
in this, as in other recent occurrences
of the kind, many have fastened to
charge the responsibility directly upon
the railroad management, without wait
ing for reliable details or the results of
an investigation. This is evidently
considered by some newspapers as the
proper and popular course to take, re-
CARELESS of any known facts or circum-
stances. The indscriminate criticism
and censure of railroad management
has become something like popular
craze, and is supposed to indicate the
perfect freedom of newspapers and in
dividuals from the baneful influence of
corporations. Therefore in these times
few persons or newspapers have suffi-
cient independence or courage to stand
out against it; the others either Join in
the general hue and cry or preserve
discreet silence. 1t may be that the
Of h,o Vllinnic ,o;1rooJ ;e
justly chargeable with the disaster, but
this fact, if it be fact, does not yet
plainly appear. In one thing at least
their culpability is eXhibited-the first
engine that passed over the burning
bridge was not provided with an air.
brake. But we are now dealing with
the immediate cause of the accident,
and it is jumping to rash conclusions
to charge, as the Tribune does, by i'm
plication, that the disaster was the re-
suit of the roads stupidity and misman-
agement, or to scout the theory that it
may have been the work of train
wreckers, though the statements of its
own correspondent at the scene 60 far
to support that theory. The Burling-
ton Free Press, also anxious to fix the
responsibility for the accident upon
the railroad management, cannot be-
lieve that there were wretches de-
PRAYED enough" to set fire to the bridge
to procure an opportunity for robbery.
The faith of the Free Press in the
dangerous classes of society is beauti-
full to contemplate; nevertheless there
are wretches depraved enough - to
commit this foul deed, and we have
had abundant evidence of this fact in
several cases of train-wrecking during
the past year, one of which occurred on
the Southern Pacific railway only last
week.
Now it is possible that this accident
might have been prevented, though
railroad officials and employees are falli-
BILE beings and cannot foresee all pos
sibilities and contingencies. 1t is sug-
gested, with more flippancy than reason,
that in these days of railroad develop
ment there is no excuse for maintain
ing other than iron bridges; that
watchmen should be kept constantly
on duty at all bridges, and that every
mile or half-mile of railroad should
be kept under constant inspection day
and night. OF course the expense is
not worth consideringl 1t seems to us
quite unreasonable to expect that the
work of substituting iron for wooden
bridges can be Immediately accom-
plished; this must necessarily be the
work of years rather than of months.
We imagine that the time is far distant
when railroads will attain to anything
substantially like perfection in their
construction, equipment and manage
ment, though considerable progress is
made from year to year; and there will
always be some liability to accidents, in
spite of all precautions and the most
efficient management. But for all this
there is vast range of casualties that
proper supervision might avert. 1t
ought to be made possible by the adop-